Dallas Cowboys Blog

Cowboys’ offense balanced, harmonious (for once) against Raiders

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo (9) and Dallas Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett talk between plays during the second half of a NFL football game against the Oakland Raiders at AT&T Stadium on Thursday, November 28, 2013. Dallas won 31-24. (John F. Rhodes / Special Contributor)

ARLINGTON – Tony Romo was praising DeMarco Murray. DeMarco Murray was applauding Romo. Dez Bryant was extolling the performance of the entire team, singling out a number of teammates to credit their contributions.

The atmosphere inside the Cowboys’ locker room, much like their offense in Dallas’ 31-24 victory over Oakland, was unmistakably harmonious.

The team’s much-maligned ground attack complemented the normally well-oiled passing game. And the offense functioned efficiently, overcoming a 14-point deficit in quick order before overtaking the flagging Raiders in the second half.

“I think whenever we run the ball like that and throw the ball like that we are pretty hard to beat,” said Murray, who scored three touchdowns.

It’s hard to argue with Murray. But this season balance has remained elusive for the Cowboys. Dallas is not even a month removed from a victory over Minnesota in which the Cowboys attempted 51 passes and executed eight called running plays. The Cowboys took a decidedly different approach Thursday. Romo dropped back 34 times while throwing for 225 yards and one touchdown. Dunbar and Murray, meanwhile, gained 145 yards on 29 carries.

“Any time you can run the ball well, it makes things a lot more efficient,” Romo said. “It gives you a chance to keep their offense off the field.”

It also relieves the burden on the quarterback. Many times in the recent past, Romo has shouldered the offensive load. He did last Thanksgiving Day, in a 38-31 loss to Washington, when Romo unleashed 62 passes and threw for 441 yards. In that defeat, Romo was charged with leading what would have been a comeback of the ages. The Cowboys were down 28-3 and Romo gave his team a chance with eight minutes left in the regulation, when Dallas pulled within seven points. But that afternoon he couldn’t do it all and Dallas eventually succumbed.

On Thursday, the Cowboys faced another sizable deficit, trailing 21-7 late in the second quarter. But they didn’t depend solely on Romo to erase it. While his fingerprints were all over an eight-play, 73-yard touchdown drive at the end of first half that cut into the Raiders’ lead, he eventually shared the spotlight with Murray and Dunbar.

In the third quarter, both running backs carried the ball on five of the 10 plays during a possession resulting in a touchdown that tied the score at 21 apiece.

The emergence of Dunbar, who had been a bit player for the Cowboys up until Thursday, kicked the running game into high gear. The North Texas product gained 78 yards on seven carries during the third quarter, slicing through the Raiders’ defense on one memorable 45-yard run.

“Dunbar came in and was a huge spark,” Murray said. “We were clicking.”

The Cowboys were functioning so well that it scored touchdowns on four of five possessions during a period that spanned the end of the first quarter and start of the fourth.

“The way we ran the ball today was super productive and that opened up the back for the wide receivers, it opened up the passing game,” fourth-year veteran Dez Bryant said. “We started seeing one-on-one coverage down the line, during the game. We executed whatever we needed to execute because of the run game. If Dunbar and DeMarco didn’t do what they did today, we probably wouldn’t have gotten this victory.”

Standing near Murray, Bryant beamed a smile. Both players were satisfied. So was everyone else on offense. This was a total effort. Balance and harmony had been achieved.

“We played well tonight,” Murray said. “Very happy. Very happy.”

In the Cowboys locker room, it was easy to tell his teammates felt the same way.

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